No additional new teams for 2016

The FIA has confirmed that no new team has successfully applied for a place on the 2016 F1 grid.

In late May, the sport's governing body, invited interested parties to submit their applications by 30 June, making clear the strict criteria by which potential entrants would be judged.

This included the technical ability and resources of the team, its ability to raise and maintain sufficient funding to allow participation at a competitive level, the team’s experience and human resources and the FIA’s assessment of the value that the candidate might bring to the championship.

The June deadline was subsequently extended until late July, but seemingly the two would-be entrants, neither of which has been identified, failed to impress the FIA.

"Neither of the applications was able to meet the FIA's criteria for new teams," said the FIA tonight, "despite being given every opportunity to present their case.

"This round of applications is now closed," the sport’s governing body added.

However, while the original tender covered 2016 and 2017 it is thought that the FIA would not be averse to a new outfit seeking to enter the sport in 2017, especially if a manufacturer was behind the bid.